Reduced resolution document storage and retrieval system

Abstract

A personal imaging computer system, which is connectable to and operable with a computerized local or wide area network, identifies characters in a document on which the characters are formed. The system scans the document to obtain a gray-scale image of the document, generates a binary image from the gray-scale image by comparing the gray-scale image with the threshold, segments the binary image to locate individual characters within the binary image and to determine the shape of the individual characters, extracts gray-scale image information from the gray-scale image for each such individual character based on the location and shape of the character in the binary image, recognition-processes the extracted gray scale image information to determine the identity of the character, and stores the identity of the character. The character identities are stored in a character file in association with the image so as to facilitate image retrieval with a text-based search over many such character files. Preferably, the image is not stored in its scanned-in resolution, but rather is stored at a reduced resolution so as to reduce memory storage requirements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A document storage and retrieval apparatus comprising: means for obtaining a gray-scale image of a document at a first resolution, the first resolution being suitable for optical-recognition-processing text in the document;   optical-recognition-processing means for optically recognizing text in the gray-scale image and for obtaining a computer-readable file of character codes for the text;   reducing means for reducing resolution of the gray-scale image to a second resolution which is low relative to the first resolution, the second resolution being suitable for visual perception and reproduction of the gray-scale image; and   storing means for storing the reduced resolution gray-scale image in association with the computer-readable text file such that the reduced resolution gray-scale image may be retrieved based on a search of the text file.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores the reduced resolution gray-scale image and the computer-readable text file on a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising searching means for searching plural computer-readable text files based on a search query, first retrieving means for retrieving computer-readable text files that match the search query, and second retrieving means for retrieving reduced resolution gray-scale images that said storing means stored in association with the retrieved computer-readable text files. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said storing means stores the reduced resolution gray-scale image in compressed form, and further comprising decompressing means for decompressing the retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images prior to display or print. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising displaying means for displaying retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising printing means for printing retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the computer-readable text files and the reduced-resolution gray-scale images are retrieved from a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reducing means lowers image resolution such that the reduced-resolution gray-scale image preserves color and gray-scale content of the original image. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for obtaining comprises scanning means for scanning the document so as to form a gray-scale image of the document. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for obtaining comprises means for retrieving the gray-scale image of the document from a computer image file. 
     
     
       11. A document storage and retrieval apparatus comprising: a memory for storing a gray-scale image of a document at a first resolution, the first resolution being suitable for optical-recognition-processing text in the document, said memory also for storing instruction sequences by which the gray-scale image is processed; and   a processor for executing the stored instruction sequences;   wherein the stored instruction sequences include process steps adapted to cause said processor to (a) optical-recognition-process text in the gray-scale image so as to obtain a computer-readable file of character codes for the text, (b) reduce resolution of the gray-scale image to a second resolution which is low relative to the first resolution, the second resolution being suitable for visual perception and reproduction of the gray-scale image, and (c) store the reduced resolution gray-scale image in association with the computer-readable text file such that the reduced resolution gray-scale image may be retrieved based on a search of the text file.   
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the reduced resolution gray-scale image and the computer-readable text file are stored on a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus method according to claim 11, wherein said stored instruction sequences further includes process steps to (i) search plural computer-readable text files based on a search query, (ii) retrieve computer-readable text files that match the search query, and (iii) retrieve reduced resolution gray-scale images that were stored in association with the retrieved computer-readable text files. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reduced resolution gray-scale image is stored in compressed form, and wherein said stored instruction sequences further include a process step to decompress the retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images prior to display or print. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said stored instruction sequences further include process steps to display retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said stored instruction sequences further includes process steps to print retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computer-readable text files and the reduced-resolution gray-scale images are retrieved from a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       18. A method according to claim 11, wherein image resolution is lowered such that the reduced-resolution gray-scale image preserves color and gray-scale content of the original image. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a scanner for scanning the document so as to form a gray-scale image of the document. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a disk memory from which a computer image file having the gray-scale image of the document is retrieved. 
     
     
       21. A document storage and retrieval method comprising the steps of: obtaining a gray-scale image of a document at a first resolution, the first resolution being suitable for optical-recognition-processing;   optically recognizing text in the gray-scale image so as to obtain a computer-readable file of character codes for the text;   reducing resolution of the gray-scale image to a second resolution which is low relative to the first resolution, the second resolution being suitable for visual perception and reproduction of the gray-scale image; and   storing the reduced resolution gray-scale image in association with the computer-readable text file such that the reduced resolution gray-scale image may be retrieved based on a search of the text file.   
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 21, wherein in said storing step, the reduced resolution gray-scale image and the computer-readable text file are stored on a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of searching plural computer-readable text files based on a search query, retrieving computer-readable text files that match the search query, and retrieving reduced resolution gray-scale images that said storing step stored in association with the retrieved computer-readable text files. 
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 23, wherein in said storing step the reduced resolution gray-scale image is stored in compressed form, and further comprising the step of decompressing the retrieved reduced-resolution images prior to display or print. 
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of displaying retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of printing retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 23, wherein the computer-readable text files and the reduced-resolution gray-scale images are retrieved from a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       28. A method according to claim 21, wherein in said reducing step, image resolution is lowered such that the reduced-resolution gray-scale image preserves color and gray-scale content of the original image. 
     
     
       29. A method according to claim 21, wherein said obtaining step comprises scanning the document so as to form a gray-scale image of the document. 
     
     
       30. A method according to claim 21, wherein said obtaining step comprises retrieving the gray-scale image of the document from a computer image file. 
     
     
       31. Computer-executable process steps which store and retrieve documents and which are stored on a computer readable-medium, the process steps including: an obtaining step to obtain a gray-scale image of a document at a first resolution, the first resolution being suitable for optical-recognition-processing;   an optical-recognition-processing step to optically recognize text in the gray-scale image so as to obtain a computer-readable file of character codes for the text;   a reducing step to reduce resolution of the gray-scale image to a second resolution which is low relative to the first resolution, the second resolution being suitable for visual perception and reproduction of the gray-scale image; and   a storing step to store the reduced resolution gray-scale image in association with the computer-readable text file such that the reduced resolution gray-scale image may be retrieved based on a search of the text file.   
     
     
       32. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 31, wherein in said storing step, the reduced resolution gray-scale image and the computer-readable text file are stored on a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       33. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 31, further comprising a searching step to search plural computer-readable text files based on a search query, a first retrieving step to retrieve computer-readable text files that match the search query, and a second retrieving step to retrieve reduced resolution gray-scale images that were stored by said storing step in association with the retrieved computer-readable text files. 
     
     
       34. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 33, wherein in said storing step the reduced resolution gray-scale image is stored in compressed form, and further comprising a decompressing step to decompress the retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images prior to display or print. 
     
     
       35. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 33, further comprising a displaying step to display retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       36. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 33, further comprising a printing step to print retrieved reduced-resolution gray-scale images. 
     
     
       37. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 33, wherein the computer-readable text files and the reduced-resolution gray-scale images are retrieved from a computerized local area network. 
     
     
       38. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 31, wherein in said reducing step, image resolution is lowered such that the reduced-resolution gray-scale image preserves color and gray-scale content of the original image. 
     
     
       39. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 31, wherein said obtaining step comprises a scanning step to scan the document so as to form a gray-scale image of the document. 
     
     
       40. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 31, wherein said obtaining step comprises a retrieving step to retrieve the gray-scale image of the document from a computer image file.